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Large-Scale Evaluations of Curricular Effectiveness: The Case of Elementary Mathematics in Indiana

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Abstract

We use data from one of the few states where information on curriculum adoptions is available – Indiana – to empirically evaluate differences in performance across three elementary-mathematics curricula. The three curricula that we evaluate were popular nationally during the time of our study, and two of the three remain popular today. We find large differences in effectiveness between the curricula, most notably between the two that held the largest market shares in Indiana. Both are best-characterized as traditional in pedagogy. We also show that the publisher of the least-effective curriculum did not lose market share in Indiana in the following adoption cycle; one explanation is that educational decision makers lack information about differences in curricular effectiveness.

Suggested Citation

  • Cory Koedel & Rachana Bhatt, 2011. "Large-Scale Evaluations of Curricular Effectiveness: The Case of Elementary Mathematics in Indiana," Working Papers 1122, Department of Economics, University of Missouri, revised 31 Jan 2012.
  • Handle: RePEc:umc:wpaper:1122
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    Cited by:

    1. Quỳnh Tiên Nguyên Lê & Morgan S. Polikoff, 2021. "Do English Language Development Curriculum Materials Matter for Students’ English Proficiency?," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    2. Cory Koedel & Diyi Li & Morgan S. Polikoff & Tenice Hardaway & Stephani L. Wrabel, 2016. "Mathematics Curriculum Effects on Student Achievement in California," Working Papers 1612, Department of Economics, University of Missouri.
    3. Bhatt, Rachana & Koedel, Cory & Lehmann, Douglas, 2013. "Is curriculum quality uniform? Evidence from Florida," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 107-121.
    4. David Blazar & Blake Heller & Thomas J. Kane & Morgan Polikoff & Douglas O. Staiger & Scott Carrell & Dan Goldhaber & Douglas N. Harris & Rachel Hitch & Kristian L. Holden & Michal Kurlaender, 2020. "Curriculum Reform in The Common Core Era: Evaluating Elementary Math Textbooks Across Six U.S. States," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(4), pages 966-1019, September.
    5. Kim, Dongwoo & Koedel, Cory & Ni, Shawn & Podgursky, Michael, 2017. "Labor market frictions and production efficiency in public schools," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 54-67.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    curricular effectiveness; math curricula; non-experimental methods; matching methods; education policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare

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